Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-16

N"iH lh proper repair, they are Oh no
use 10 the country. II these vessels are
70 he kept on the naval list they should
DC placed in perfect repair and be lifted
WITH such modern rifles "a they are ca
pable of carrying Within six months
all of these vessels could be put IN the
same state OF efficiency as they were ut
the time of their construction at an cX-
pendituro OF about $500. 900 This would
give thirteen coast defence vessels ac-
tualiy available armed with l5-iDch
smooth-borc guns. These guns could
be replaced as rapidly az possible by
niles. BY no other means could the
same amount Of money be spent to give
the country such valuable return.
TIE OUTLOOK.
"Thc outlook for the navy in the near
iurure, the report says. "is IA very hope
ful one, and with the completion OF the
vessels now projected the navy will con
Sist of number OF modern vessels adj
mrably adapted 10 the varied needs OF
tho service. The character Of the work
beng dOre on the vessels now building
and those lately completed shows that
our ship-builders are able to turn out
vessels of war second TO none IN the
world.
The establishment Of the gun factory
at Washington, and Introduction by the
Bethlehem Iron-WoIks Of plant to fur
nish heavy armor and gun-forgings,
make the United States absolutely inde-
pendent of other countries in the con
stuction and armament Of her ships OF
war and If the work of binding the
navy Is only kept up as it is now going,
we shall soon have navy that will be
credit as well as a protection to our
country and our cOuntrys interests.
PRESENT CONDITION OF THE NAVY.
Tables attached to the report show the
exact condition Of every vessel in the
navy. OF the wooden vessels it is said
that the Trenton, launched in 1876, re-
presents the latest and best type Of
wooden steam cruiser, and will be use
iul and valuable for several years TO
come. With the Omaha and Nandala
(sccond-rates) she can probably be con-
tnued in service nine years longer the
Lancaster. with new boilers, six years
tine Brooklyn and Richmond, five years
and the Pensacola three years. OF the
tbIrdrates the MOhican can be continued
IN service nine years. the Adams,
Alliance, Essex, kcarsarge, Enterprise,
Iallapoosa, Yantic, and Nipsic, five
years the Juniata, Ossipee, Swa-
tara, Galena, and Marion, four
wears The Quinnebaug and the Iro-
Quois will probably be condemned by
law ON survey. 1t will thus be seen that
in three years we shall have twenty-one
of these vessels remaining, in six years
but four, and in nine years the entire
wooden navy viii have disappeared.
The appendix also contains elaborate
detailed statements from the officers IN
charge of the construction of the new
cruisers, gunboats, and dynamite cruiser
of the work remaining to be done, rs
well as descriptions and plates of the
new vessels and monitors, showing their
general dimensions, armament, rig,
steam power, and other details.
THE ESTIMATES.
A tabulated statement Of the estimates
Of appropriation for the next fiscal year
is appended to the report. He asks for
Sll,CSO for salaries $500, 600 for the
construction and repair of vessels sol,
O4l for the civil establishments at navy
wards: S175, 900 for extra tools at the
Mare Island navy-yard 500. 900 for the
construction of experimental works to
test the resistance Of ships at the New
York nayy-yard, and $1,000, goo on ac-
c,,,t,t pf bpll. op1 outfits of now elIpg